Author Topic: What fonts do I actually need? (Read 21477 times)

Ampa · « **on:** April 04, 2007, 02:07 PM »

Today I was looking through the list of fonts that I have installed on my system - 186 in total.

Many of those installed I didn't choose to have there... in fact there are several that I really dislike - Comic Sans anyone?

It is not that I feel these extra fonts are slowing the system down, but they are slowing me down! It is tiresome wading through several screens of bland fonts just to find to ones that I want.

So here are my questions...

1) Which fonts do I actually need to have installed?

I am sure that this will in some way be related to the software that I have installed...

Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP fonts
Office 97, 2000, XP, 2003 fonts
Know of any more lists for major apps? (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver etc)

But I don't believe that all these fonts are actually used by the software; so which ones are actually required?

I know that Marlett is used for parts of the Windows GUI - so removing that would be inadvisable, but does it really need all those others?

2) Is there any way to find out which program installed a certain font?

I would imagine that the answer to this is a NO, other than searching for a list online.

3) I have a few 'vector' fonts in my windows directory (Modern, Roman, Script etc) - what are they?

And more importantly - do i need them?

4) Out of curiosity - how many fonts do you have installed on your machine?

I am not talking about your font library, only those that you have active at all times.

Ampa

app103 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2007, 02:40 PM »

Here are a few that may add more fonts to your list:

Fonts YOU SHOULD NEVER DELETE!
Windows Font Basics in 5 Easy Lessons
Removing fonts can be tricky (this is a good read and mentions things you may not have thought of)

I do not install any fonts into my fonts folder by choice unless it is one I know I will be using on a regular basis for some purpose.

Yet I seem to currently have 395 fonts in there.

They sneak in when you install other applications. I never bothered with removing them. It gives me something to work with in Paintshop Pro when I don't feel like looking in my huge 12,000+ fonts collection for 'the perfect font'.

Curt · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2007, 03:23 PM »

Various programs have installed an unknown number, and I have installed a single font myself, making it 424.

Nighted · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2007, 05:30 PM »

Having too many fonts will slow your machine down. Not a good idea!

If you want that many fonts, you should keep them in another folder other than the system fonts folder and use a font manager similar to Font Xplorer (now free) to load fonts only when you need them.

Windows Fonts That Should Not Be Deleted

Eóin · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2007, 05:37 PM »

Sorry for the unproductive post but speaking of comic sans

dhuser · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2007, 06:11 PM »

Probably not a good thing, but I have 1792 fonts installed. Mostly from desktop publishing software and graphics programs.

dhuser

f0dder · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2007, 06:21 PM »

Heh, Comic Sans is a pretty lousy font, but I've never really understood why some people go berserk over it. But okay, that Notepad++ chooses it as the default font for comments...

Nighted · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2007, 05:14 PM »

HEY!!!!!

I love comic sans!

Ampa · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2007, 05:57 PM »

Well I have decided to experiment, and have removed many of my fonts... I am down to 78 (bear in mind that this includes the many variants of each font - bold, italic, bold italic, condensed etc) so really isn't that many fonts total.

WinXP only complained about a couple of the fonts that I removed (the 'vector' / plotter fonts Courier and Modern) but I got shot of them anyway! Foolish? Who knows - we'll see if it throws up any issues over the next few days.

If I notice no side-effects of my action, I may slim down further... hmm this is sounding like an addiction now... must loose most installed fonts... lol

Ampa

Curt · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2007, 06:51 PM »

... similar to Font Xplorer (now free) ...
-Nighted (April 04, 2007, 05:30 PM)

Sorry my comment has nothing to do with fonts, but I was reminded that Karen just launched another update, the first since last summer, and the second since August 2005..., this time of Replicator:

What fonts do I actually need?

- the place to get Font Explorer and stuff.

Ruffnekk · « **Reply #10 on:** April 06, 2007, 01:42 AM »

I dislike Comic Sans and specifically its utter abuse so much that my sister-in-law gave a me "Ban Comic Sans" mug for my birthday last year

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2007, 02:55 AM »

As an aside there are loads of font utilities out there that let you add fonts only when you need them.

There are quite a few free one but I use Extensis Suitcase which will even load fonts as needed (though you should still leave the basic Windows set in tact). Basically all the fonts you don't use regularly are removed from the font folder into their own folders. You can still preview them and choose to add them manually or if you load a document that requires a font not currently loaded it will automatically find and load the font.

spozzie · « **Reply #12 on:** April 24, 2007, 05:35 PM »

Hi guys! You might like to check out http://FontFrenzy. Interesting little piece of software.

Steve

Ampa · « **Reply #13 on:** April 24, 2007, 06:24 PM »

FontFrenzy link should be THIS

Quick update: I noticed that Office 2007 was using WebDings 2 & 3 to create some of the fancy borders in its default styles, so I have reinstalled those two fonts.

Current total = 80 installed fonts

All others loaded as required using HighLogic's MainType - discount HERE

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #14 on:** April 25, 2007, 05:01 AM »

Another pointer is www.fontfrenzy.org but it just takes you to the same page.

Actually this is really useful (in addition to MainType or Extensis Suitcase) because it lets you instantly par back your system to just essential Windows fonts for when you aren't using font intensive apps and restore the system back to normal instantly for when you want to use DTP.

Great little find and free! (registerware after 40 days)

CleverCat · « **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2007, 07:03 AM »

HEY!!!!!

I love comic sans!
-Nighted (April 05, 2007, 05:14 PM)

Me also - it's my default Incredimail font!

longrun · « **Reply #16 on:** April 26, 2007, 12:03 PM »

When I set up a new PC I save a list of the installed fonts (actually, I copy them to a Fonts.ori folder). When an application installs a bunch of fonts without telling me I compare the Fonts folder to the original list and can easily and safely uninstall the new ones.

CleverCat · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2007, 07:07 AM »

I've never seen an .ori extension?

Ampa · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2007, 07:18 AM »

I think longrun is abbreviating 'original' to 'ori' as a mental note that the folder contains the original fonts installed by Windows.

'ori' is not denoting a particular filetype.

CleverCat · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2007, 01:19 AM »

Ah! Didn't think of that....

gjehle · « **Reply #20 on:** April 29, 2007, 02:45 AM »

3) I have a few 'vector' fonts in my windows directory (Modern, Roman, Script etc) - what are they?
-Ampa (April 04, 2007, 02:07 PM)

all your TTF fonts are 'vector' based, can you be more specific?

i recommend everyone to get their hands on some proper fonts like helvetica, futura, frutiger, palatino linotype, bitstream vera....
the differences might be in the details (ye, arial is a blatant helvetica rip off ;-) ) but those fonts are professionally designed for readability.

comic sans ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww
that font is almost offensive :p

Curt · « **Reply #21 on:** April 29, 2007, 04:26 AM »

Yes, those fonts are professionally designed...

- and, by God: they are professionally priced!

Helvetica
Futura
Frutiger
Palatino Family

gjehle · « **Reply #22 on:** April 29, 2007, 11:36 AM »

Yes, those fonts are professionally designed...

- and, by God: they are professionally priced!

Helvetica
Futura
Frutiger
Palatino Family
-Curt (April 29, 2007, 04:26 AM)

good design has it's price ;-)
after all it's a work of art and skill

Curt · « **Reply #23 on:** April 29, 2007, 12:12 PM »

good design has it's price ;-)
after all it's a work of art and skill
-gjehle (April 29, 2007, 11:36 AM)

I dare to conclude you are not living in the eastern part of Germany...

But of course you are right. It is good design and works of art and skill,
- and that will have its price.

tomos · « **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2007, 04:09 AM »

Yes, those fonts are professionally designed...

- and, by God: they are professionally priced!

Helvetica
Futura
Frutiger
Palatino Family
-Curt (April 29, 2007, 04:26 AM)

good design has it's price ;-)
after all it's a work of art and skill
-gjehle (April 29, 2007, 11:36 AM)

I could never understand that -
if you want a meagre half dozen fonts (I mean "font families")
you would have to pay over $3,000 - going by those links..

Do you designers keep using the same fonts

or do you just charge a fortune